Stretcher for use with drying forms



Dec. 22, M36. H. A. JOHNSTON Em STRETCHER FOR USE WITH DRYING FORMS Filed July 30, 1954 Patented Dec. 22, 1936 gain PATENT STRETCHER FOR USE WITH DRYING Howard Addison RMS Johnston, Toronto,

Ontario, Canada Application July 30, 1934, Serial No. 737,511

7 Claims.

This invention relates to stretchers for use with drying devices or forms on which an article to be dried is fitted. The form is internally heated and the stretcher is adapted to engage the free end of the article and apply lengthwise tension thereto during the drying period. The object of my invention is to provide a stretcher of this type which may be readily engaged with and disengaged from the article, and which will automatically adapt itself to evenly grip the article circumferentially thereof whereby the longitudinal tension will be evenly distributed. Further objects I have in mind will hereinafter appear.

I attain my objects by providing the stretcher with jaws, which are pivoted on axes parallel to one another and located at opposite sides of the form on'which the article to be stretched is fitted, so that the jaws will swing towards one another from opposite sides of the form. These jaws are each provided with carding cloth for gripping the article. The pieces of carding cloth are so carried by the jaws that they may be spring urged relative thereto towards the form whereby any irregularities in the contours of the cloth and form will be compensated to ensure all the wires of the pieces of cloth being engaged with the article. The jaws are spring actuated towards one another and are provided with hand grips of heat insulating material. The base of the stretcher, on which the jaws are hinged, is loosely fitted on the form, is provided with hand grips of heat insulating material and is of sufficient weight to apply the desired tension to the article.

The constructions are hereinafter more fully described and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my invention showing it in use;

Fig. 2 a cross-section on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 a cross-section on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 a sectional detail of a jaw showing the spring means behind the carding-cloth; and

Fig. 5 a sectional detail of a modied form of spring means.

In the drawing like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different iigures.

I is a form on which an article, such as hosiery 2, may be fitted for drying purposes. 'I'he form I is hollow throughout its length and is usually heated by steam which is directed thereinto by any suitable piping (not shown). It is to be understood that these forms I are part of the equipment of most laundries and that they are secured in any suitable manner to a stationary part such as a bench or table and that they project upwardly therefrom.

The stretcher 3 comprises a base Il loosely litted on the form I. Preferably the base 4 is U or yoke shaped and its legs la are spaced apart a slightly greater distance than the diameter of the form I across its minor axis so that the base may be readily positioned on the form or removed therefrom. To prevent the base from accidental displacement relative to` the form I, I pass a pin 6 through the free ends of the legs la of the yoke. One end of the pin is provided with an enlargement and the other end with a hole to receive a cotter pin.

On the base 4, at opposite sides thereof, are

4b extending laterally from the remote sides of the legs 42'. Each pair of ears carries a pivot 9 on which a lug 'Ia is journalled so that each jaw when swung inwardly towards the form I will overlie the base 4. The upper ends of the jaws 'I are curved and are provided with channels 'Ib to receive the flexible canvas backs 8a of the pieces of carding cloth 8. The wires 8b of the carding cloth project between the lips lc of the channels 'Ib for engagement with the hose or other article on the form I.

To ensure the hose being evenly gripped circumferentially thereof, resilient means engaging the channels and the backs 3a are provided to llirge the pieces of carding cloth towards the form The resilient means may comprise bowed springs I0 secured to the backs 8a of the carding cloth for urging the ends of the latter towards the form or the resilient means may comprise ilat springs Illa having spring tongues IlIb interposed between the channels and the backs 8a for urging the latter into engagement with the lips l. Any irregularities or diierences in contour between the curvatures of the carding cloth and the form I will thus be compensated.

The jaws 'I are constantly urged to their operative positions by springs I I which may be formed as coil springs disposed on the pivots 9 intermediate the ends of the lugs la. The free ends of each spring are directed radially for engagement with the base and the jaws. Each jaw is provided with a thumb grip I2 made of heat insulating material such as bre and the base Il is provided with finger grips i3 of similar material located beneath the grips I2 so that by moving the latter towards the grips I3 the jaws will be swung to their open or inoperative position. The grips I3 may be secured to bars 4C connecting the outer ends of the ears 4b of each pair thereof.

Assuming a hose has been fitted on the form I, the operator grasps the grips I3 and moves the stretcher 3 until the jaws I near the hose. The operator then presses the thumbs on the grips I 2 to move them towards the grips I3 which results in the jaws being opened to clear the cuff or welt of the hose. The thumb grips I2 are then released to permit the springs II to swing the jaws towards one another from opposite sides of the form I whereby the pieces of carding cloth 8 engage and grip the hose to support the stretcher 3. The weight of the latter is sucient to tension the hose longitudinally of the form and thus stretch the hose as it is drying. The curved springs I0 constantly urge the pieces of carding cloth 8 to follow the cross-sectional contour of the form I and the springs I I constantly urge the said pieces of cloth 8 towards the opposite sides of the form I whereby the weight of the stretcher is evenly carried circumferentially of the hose and thus the longitudinal tension is evenly distributed which results in the leg of the hose being stretched evenly throughout its circumference.

To permit the stretching of stockings of maximum length on the form I, the ends 4a of the base 4 are cut away at I4 to permit the stretcher 3 to travel a maximum distance before coming to rest against the base plate Ia of the form I. The portions I4, which rest on the plate Ia when the hose is being fitted on the form, also serve to position the hand grips I3 for ready engagement by the operator and also prevent any cramping action between the stretcher parts and the form I.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A stretcher for a drying form including jaws; carding cloth carried by each jaw for gripping an article on the form; means for limiting the movement of each carding cloth relative to its jaw and towards the form; and means for urg ing each carding cloth towards its limiting means.

2. A stretcher for a drying form including a jaw; carding cloth carried by the jaw for gripping an article on the form; spring means for moving the jaw to its operative position to cause the carding cloth to grip the article; and resilient means for urging the carding cloth independently of the spring means to follow the contour of the form.

3. A stretcher for a drying form of curved cross-sectional contour; a jaw having a curved channel; carding cloth carried by the channel for gripping an article on the form; and resilient means carried by the channel behind the carding cloth for compensating for any dierence in contour between the curvatures of the channel and the form.

4. A stretcher constructed as set forth in claim 3 in which the resilient means is a bowed spring.

5. A stretcher constructed as set forth in claim 3 in which the resilient means is a flat spring having spring tongues for engaging the channel.

6. A stretcher for a drying form of curved cross-sectional contour comprising a base freely mounted to slide on the form; ears extending laterally from opposite sides of the base; jaws having depending lugs pivotally mounted on the ears, the jaws being adapted to swing towards one another from opposite sides of the form and being provided with lateral extensions terminating in curved channels adapted to follow the curvature of the form; carding cloth carried by each channel for gripping an article on the form; resilient means carried by each channel behind the carding cloth for compensating for any diierence in contour between the curvatures of the channel and the form; means for urging the jaws towards one another; thumb grips extending laterally from the jaws in a direction opposite to that of the extensions; and nger grips carried by the base beneath the thumb grips, the jaws being adapted to be swung away from one another upon simultaneous movement of the thumb grips towards the finger grips.

7. A stretcher for a drying form comprising a base freely mounted to slide on the form; ears extending laterally from opposite sides of the base; jaws having depending lugs pivotally mounted on the ears, the jaws being adapted to swing towards one another from opposite sides of the form and being provided with lateral extensions to overlie the base and to grip an article carried by the form; spring means tending to move the jaws towards one another; thumb grips extending laterally from the jaws in a direction opposite to that of the extensions; and relatively stationary nger grips carried by the base beneath the thumb grips, the jaws being adapted to be swung away from one another upon simultaneous movement of the thumb grips towards the nger grips.

HOWARD ADDISON JOHNSTON. 

